


The Hardest Walk

by rainpuddle13



Category: Twilight RPF
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-05
Updated: 2013-03-02
Packaged: 2017-11-23 18:40:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/625364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainpuddle13/pseuds/rainpuddle13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The hardest walk you'll ever take is walk from A to B to C.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Stephenie Meyer, various publishers including but not limited to Little, Brown Children's Books, and Summit Entertainment. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. I also have no claims on Robert Pattinson or Kristen Stewart. This is a work of fiction.

Sometimes Kristen wished she was still young enough for her parents to ground her. Then she’d have a legitimate excuse to get out of the two week holiday to Acapulco her boyfriend was busy planning for her.

She didn’t think she could handle two solid weeks of just Michael for company. In a hotel room. In a foreign country. She loved him, really she did, but she also knew her limitations. And now was not the time for a romantic getaway, as he’d taken to calling the trip from hell. It’d been a long year, filming back to back movies in two of the most miserable places in the U.S. as far as the weather was concerned. If she thought she was going to freeze to death in Portland while longing for warmer climates then melting was the only description to aptly describe her tour of duty in New Orleans.  
Portland.

As miserable as the weather had been, and she didn’t even want to think about the filming schedule, the friends she’d gained more than made up for it. Some of her favorite memories revolved around the shabby Irish pub around the corner from the boys’ hotel where Jackson and Rob would get up on the smoky stage and jam until the wee hours of the morning.

Her heart clinched at the thought of Rob. She could see him plain as day, sitting up on stage with a cigarette hanging from his lips and a half empty bottle of beer at his feet as he lost himself in one of his crazy guitar compositions. His passion for music was just one of things about him she loved.

“What do you think about a whale watching tour, Krissy?” Michael asked, his voice immediately putting a damper on her errant thoughts. He’d been sitting at the table in the shade hovering over his laptop, plotting their getaway all afternoon. “There is one every day, except Sundays. I think Monday might be the best option – fewer people.”

Kristen was so glad they were lounging out on the patio overlooking the pool because there was no way in the world she could have kept from rolling her eyes when he called her Krissy. There was nothing she hated more than being called by that childish nickname lately, and it was even worse coming from her boyfriend. She knew the reasoning behind it, after all, Mike’s older sister shared her name, but it still rankled her nerves. Dark sunglasses were a godsend, even  
in the shade of the umbrella.

“Uh huh,” she answered, absent-mindedly. She was very good at letting him prattle on while making appropriate noises occasionally so he didn’t know her mind had wandered elsewhere.

“What about one of those hiking tours of the ancient ruins that way we can say we did something educational on the trip?”

The word “hiking” definitely got her attention and the closely associated words “sweat,” “dirty”, and “painful blisters” spilled into her overactive brain. “I thought it was unsafe to leave the resort areas?”

“This is a package deal with an escort to and from the site.”

“I don’t know…”

“C’mon, Kris, it’ll be fun! You, me, sunshine, high atop beautiful vistas…”

“Heat, humidity and bugs,” she muttered under her breath.

“And the best part will be your dad won’t be able to complain about me holding you hostage in our hotel room.”

“He never says anything.”

“To you maybe.”

“So you think Monday for whale watching and maybe Wednesday for the ruins?”

“I dunno, Mike. I should probably stay out of the sun as much as possible. I start filming in a few weeks and I’m supposed to stay pale.” There she said it. One would have thought her utter lack of enthusiasm would have clued him into the fact that she really didn’t want to go on his little Mexican adventure, but apparently not.

“They make 80spf sunscreen, you know.”

“For babies.”

“What are you trying to say, Kris?” He was starting to sound irritated.

She groaned and banged her head back against the lounge chair. Guys could be so thick sometimes, and it just made her want to scream. “What I’m trying to say is I don’t think a trip to sunny Mexico would be the wisest career move right now. I am under contract.”

He muttered a few curses before taking a deep breath. “So you don’t want to go away with me?”

“I never said that,” she bit out. “I said that _Mexico_ might not be the best idea right now.”

“So where do you want to go?”

“I don’t know why we can’t stay at home. I’m going to be up in Vancouver for months. It’d be nice to just hang around here.”

“Doing what?”

“Hang out with our friends. Watch movies. Maybe play some music. Let me practice my cooking skills. Clean out my closet. Just be.”

“That’s boring.”

“How is that boring? It’s life.”

“And it’s boring.”

This time she couldn’t contain her growl of frustration. Mike didn’t get her, didn’t even make an effort to understand her. She was foolish to think she could’ve changed him. “I can’t talk to you about this.”

“What?” His hands stilled over the keyboard of his laptop and he looked up at her.

“You heard me,” she hissed.

He moved to the lounge chair next hers, sitting on the edge with his elbows on his knees. He was giving her his best puppy dog look. “Krissy, baby, don’t be that way. You know I love you and I just want you to be happy.”

“Uh huh.” She looked away from him, unable to stomach his pitiful attempts at contrition. He just wanted to stay out of the dog house and in her bed at all costs.

“I do, really.”

Kristen turned so she could watch his reaction in his blue eyes, and not really liking what she saw there. “Then you’d be willing to stay here…”

“Okay,” he said, defeat evident in his voice, “if that is what you truly want.”

“It is.”

“Would you be opposed to a room at the Beverly Wilshire for New Year’s?”

“No.” She managed to hold back the groan. He’d been chafing at the bit to go out more now that she’d finally turned 18 and they were in the same spot for more than a few days at the time. She supposed it was the least she could do since he was giving up the Mexican holiday.

A compromise, like adults.

“Great,” he said excitedly, getting up and returning to the laptop sitting on the glass top table. “Maybe the package deal hasn’t be sold out.”

“Great,” she echoed, glaring at her cell phone laying on the table beside her. She could not believe it was four days before a major party holiday and Nikki wasn’t dying to shop. Damn it all, she’d need a new dress now herself. Maybe she’d just have to resort to calling her supposed best friend. “Just don’t go all out.”

“It’s New Year’s, Kris. Loosen up a bit, why don’t you?’

They’d been having this argument more and more as of late, and it was really starting to wear on her nerves. She was too serious. She never wanted to do anything fun. Everyone thought she was a stuck up bitch. He was getting tired of having to constantly defend her attitude.  
He moaned about everything except what was really eating at him.

“I’m plenty loose, thank you,” she said bitingly.

Mike had the good sense not to respond after his rather loud snort, but she had a pretty good idea of what he would’ve said. It surprised her that he’d managed to bite his tongue about the third person in their relationship. It was him who was always bringing up Rob, not her. Rob was her private little fantasy, her little crush, and absolutely nothing was going on between them, at all. Not for the lack of trying on Rob’s part, what with the constant marriage proposals and all, but she always said no, out aloud anyway. They were just friends. Nothing she said or did could convince Mike of that fact.

Maybe she should lock them both in the same room and let them whip their dicks out and get the pissing contest over with before they drove her to commit murder. Kristen snickered at her wicked thought. She’d definitely have to tell Nikki. Maybe they could sell tickets, although they’d have to wait until Rob grew his hair back in order to maximize profits.

“Yes,” Mike yelped triumphantly just as her cell phone started to ring. He’d apparently been successful in securing a room for New Year’s.

“Oh, thank god,” she muttered, snatching it up to glance at the unfamiliar international number that appeared on the Caller ID.

“Who’s that?”

“I don’t know.” She sat up on the edge of the chair and clicked the send button before putting the phone to hear ear. “Hello?”

“Hullo, Kristen, it’s Tom Sturridge, you know, Rob’s friend? I hate to be a bother, but something’s happened and I didn’t know who else to ring.”

She could feel all of the blood drain from her face, her heart seizing in her chest. “He’s all right isn’t he?”

“Yes, Rob’s fine physically,” Tom answered; his normally crisp accent was slightly slurred, “but-”

“Who’s not okay?” Mike queried from right behind her. “Is that Nikki?”

She waved a hand in her boyfriend’s general direction, frustrated. “I’ll tell you in a minute, now shut up so I can hear. Sorry, Tom, go ahead.”

“Tom? We don’t know any Toms, do we?”

Without even looking back, she got up and went into the house, slamming the door in Mike’s face when he tried to follow.

“What about Rob’s dad?” she prompted to get Tom to retell her what she’d missed.  
She listened as Rob’s best friend in the world relayed the devastating news that Richard had had a massive heart attack on Boxing Day while out to dinner with the family. Things were not looking good at the moment, and Rob was beside himself.

A tear slipped down her cheek. It was instant love the moment she’d met Richard Pattinson on a visit to the set back last March when Rob was sick. He and Clare had hopped a plane to come halfway around the world to take care of their sick baby boy. Rob’s father was an awful flirt with all of the girls on the set, and he knew just how to get her to laugh. “How’s his mom holding up? Lizzie and Victoria?”

“As well as can be expected.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“I don’t know, talk to him maybe. He’s just so… I’ve never seen him like this. I’m worried.”

“Does he have his phone on him?”

Tom politely reminded her of the no mobile phones in the hospital rule and gave her the contact information for the ward and the specific hours phone calls were allowed. She ended the call after he promised to keep her apprised of the situation, glancing at the clock and trying to mentally calculate the time difference between L.A. and London.

She huffed, a crazy, impulsive plan already starting to form in her worried mind. Suddenly hearing his voice over the phone wasn’t enough, she needed to be there for him. “I could be there before I was allowed to make a call,” Kris muttered to the empty room.

The plan to be in London by morning was organized almost as quickly as it’d come to her. Two phone calls – one to her travel agent and the second to ascertain her brothers’ whereabouts – and her plan was in motion. She’d have to fly coach, cramped in the middle of a four person row, but it was the only seat left on the first available fight out. Cam would swing by her apartment to pack her a bag and grab her passport and other travel necessities on the way to pick her up. She really didn’t think Michael would really be up for taking her to the airport in an hour and a half.

A sudden bout of nerves besieged her while she was upstairs in her bedroom throwing a few odds and ends she kept at her parents’ house into one of her mother’s overnight bags. Her little impromptu trip to London would mark the first time she’d ever traveled alone, no parent, no brother, no agent, no boyfriend hovering about to take care of all the little trivial details for her. The last thing she grabbed to stuff in her purse was her worn copy of On the Road.  
Steeling herself for the argument she knew was inevitable, Kristen paused by at the French doors a moment before returning to the patio and her waiting boyfriend. She dropped her bags on the table and sat down, pulling her messy hair up in a ponytail and situating her sunglasses on her head to wait.

Michael gave her a quizzical look, taking in her attire – Chucks, jeans and Cam’s favorite black hoodie. “Going somewhere?”

“Yeah.”

“Shopping with Nik?”

“No.”

“Then why’d you get dressed to go out? Want to go get something at In-N-Out? I could go for a strawberry shake.”

She idly wondered if could get Cam to stop so she could take something to Rob, a 3x3, no pickles and fries well done, his all-time favorite meal. She should probably eat something too, with a long haul flight ahead of her. She’d have to see how much time she had when her brother finally turned up.

“No thanks,” she said, finally. “I don’t think I have time before my flight.”

He looked up from the game he was playing on his laptop, perplexed. “Your what?”

“Flight. I’m leaving for London in 30 minutes. Cam is picking me up to take me to the airport.” She watched in fascination as realization dawned on his face, and the color went from normal to deep purple in the span of two seconds. She might as well get it all out there on the table so he could get angry and get over it. “Rob’s father’s gravely ill in the hospital.”

“And he immediately calls you?” Mike asked, surprisingly calm given the circumstance.

“No, his friend Tom called to let me know. It’s been a couple days.”

“Did he ask you to come over then?”

“No, he didn’t. Tom said Rob is pretty devastated.”

“I don’t understand what any of this has to do with you.”

“He’s my friend, Mike,” she growled when he made a disproving noise. Kris dragged a hand through her hair to keep from wrapping it around his throat. “His father is very ill and he’s understandably upset.”

“Why can’t you just call him?”

“Because he needs a friend right now.”

“He has friends in England.”

Kristen rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, knowing it annoyed him to no end, but she was beyond caring. She was pretty damn annoyed herself. “I’m not having this conversation with you.”

“What conversation, Kristen? The one where I query you yet again about the nature of your relationship with that jackass, huh? That conversation?”

“Just shut the fuck up before you make me hate you!” She stood up abruptly, grabbing up her bags to go back into the house to escape his obsessive jealous bullshit. It was really starting to get tiresome.

He followed her into the kitchen right on her heels. “You’re in love with him aren’t you?” he badgered.

“If I’m so in love with Rob, Michael, then what am I doing here with you? Wouldn’t I already be in London with him?”

She could tell he had no come back for that, and it only served to make him even angrier because it was the truth and he knew it. Her feelings for Rob were complex and complicated and a slippery slope she had thus far managed to avoid falling down.

“You’re running off to him now!” he shouted at her.

“Yes,” Kris said carefully, like she was speaking to a small child because that was exactly what it felt like sometimes, “because he needs his friends right now.”

“You might be his beck and call girl right now, but what happens when the next pretty co-star comes along. Huh, Krissy, tell me that?”

“Damn it, Mike, I’m not having this conversation with you again right now.”

He grabbed her by the wrist, jerking her back before she could escape into the other room.

“And just when should we have it? After you’ve let him ruin everything? Don’t you see what the fuck he’s doing?”

“Ow, you’re hurting me. Let go!” she cried, trying to wrench her arm free of his tight grasp, not liking him physically touching her when he was so angry.

“Kris, you ready?” Cam called as he came in through the door to the garage, stopping in his tracks to survey the scene he just stumbled upon. “What’s going on here?”

“Nothing,” she said harshly, snatching her arm away and glaring at Mike. “I’m more than ready.”

She was thankful her brother’s menacing presence was enough to make her boyfriend think twice about whatever he was about to do. She was standing next to him before she realized she’d even moved. “Where’s your other bag?” Cam asked, clearly unhappy with her explanation. His dark eyes never left Mike.

“Right here. Let’s go, now. Please.” She pressed her hands into Cam’s back to try to get him moving. “We haven’t got much time to get to the airport and you know how the traffic is on the 405 this time of day.”

“Yup.” He wrapped his arm around her protectively, steering her towards the door he just came though.

“Mike stood his ground, anger clearly written on his face. “Don’t bother coming back if you leave here.”

She felt Cam stiffen beside her, ready to go to war on her behalf if she gave him the signal.

“Fine,” she said flatly.

“I mean it, Kristen. You get on that plane and it’s over. Don’t bother coming back.”

“I won’t, don’t worry.” It surprised her how it easy it was to say those words and mean them unlike the other times they’d broken up. She wouldn’t take him back, not this time. Without Nikki around lobbying for Mike and telling her how big a mistake she was making, it was easier to see things more clearly.

“Kris?” Cam asked softly once they were away from the house. He put her carryon bag in the back of the SUV with the suitcase he’d packed for her earlier at her apartment. “What’s going on?”

She slammed the door shut after climbing up in the passenger seat. “Mike and I broke up,” she said calmly, fastening her seatbelt.

“I gathered that much, but what the fuck is really going on?” he queried once he pulled out of the driveway.

“Which version do you want: long or short?”

“Let’s start with the short version and go from there.”

“All right.” Kris slid on her sunglasses against the glare of the bright California afternoon sunshine, or that’s what she told herself. “I’m a lying, cheating whore.”

The big truck suddenly skidded to a halt in the middle of the road. The driver behind them laid on the horn. “He actually said that?” Cam hissed, anger radiating off him in waves.

“Those exact words?”

“No, that’s the boiled down version.”

“Then let’s have the long version before I erroneously commit a murder.”

She snorted softly, God, did she love her brother. “Rob’s father’s in the hospital and he needs a friend and Mike refuses to understand that.”

“He didn’t hurt you did he?”

“No.” Kris unconsciously rubbed her wrist, the red mark left by Mike’s hand already faded.

“Has he ever?”

“No, never.”

“I’ll kill him if he has.”

“He hasn’t.”

“Good.”

The rest of the trip to LAX was made in silence, to which Kris was thankful because her mind was all over the place, but Cam was always good like that. He knew when to be quiet. She let him take control after that, letting him guide her through check in at the American Airlines counter. He only complained a little about her flying halfway around the world alone, in coach class no less, as he grabbed a large bottle of water, some candy, and couple magazines from the newsstand on the concourse once they cleared the security gate for her to carry on the plane.

“You gonna be all right, kiddo?” he asked, pulling her into his arms and hugging her tight.

“Yup.”

“Positive?”

She nodded into his chest, wrapping her arms tight around him. “Yup.”

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, you know.”

“I know, but I need to.”

He kissed the top of her head. “It’s not too late for me to get a ticket and come with.”

“No,” Kris said, shaking her head. “I booked the last seat on this flight and you don’t have anything packed.”

“I can hop the next flight and meet you in a couple hours and I have it on good authority there are clothing stores in England. Where’re you staying?”

“I dunno yet. What about work?”

Cam sighed just as she knew he would because work was something he wouldn’t be able to get out on such short notice. “What if I see about some time off and meet you in a few days?”

“I don’t think so,” she said with a note of finality. “This isn’t a fun trip. I don’t know how long I’ll be there, or even what I’ll be doing.”

“Yeah,” he muttered in agreement. She could practically see his mind working, trying to figure out some way to make it work so he could go with her.

“I’ll call as soon as I get in and let you know what I’m doing. How about that?”

“Guess I don’t have much of a choice do I?”

“Not this time.”

The nearly 12-hour flight seemed to drag on for an eternity and then some. Being alone made it just that much worse by allowing her mind to wander without distraction to all the what-ifs she had no business thinking about. Her book never made it out of her bag, and she was sure her seatmates were ready to kill her by the time the plane touched down because of all of the fidgeting.

Kris stepped out into the dull early afternoon sunshine outside of Heathrow to find a quiet spot to smoke a cigarette or two to calm her nerves and reorient herself since she’d lost a day during her travels. She fished her cell phone out of her bag, scrolling down to the unidentified number on the call log and hitting the send button. The second she heard the soft English accent she took a deep breath.

“Hi, Tom, it’s Kristen. I’m at Heathrow.”


	2. Chapter 2

To say that Tom was shocked that she’d turned up in London was an understatement. She had to repeat herself three times before he finally believed she was really there and a forth for him to offer to come fetch her. None of that helped the blinding headache she always got on long flights, and the lack of sleep wasn’t helping matters.  
  
Kristen was surprised that no one paid her any attention while she purchased a packet of paracetamol tablets and a bottle of water. People hurried to and fro, going about their business with little heed to anyone or anything around them. It was a refreshing change of pace from LA where she couldn’t even do her Christmas shopping without it turning into a photo-op. It was sorta refreshing.  
  
After finding a vaguely quiet bench near where she’d told Tom she’d be, Kristen called Cam to let him know she’d made it in one piece then popped two tablets, downed half the water and settled in to wait. There was no telling how long it’d be before he could make it to the airport from wherever he was, especially if he was in the middle of something he couldn’t just drop. Thinking back, she could’ve made more concrete plans before she stepped foot on that flight, but what was done was done and she was there now. Hell, she didn’t even have a place to stay. She’d worry about that later, once she’d seen Rob.  
  
"Kristen?"   
  
She jumped a little, startled, banging her head on the wall she’d propped up against. "Sorry, must’ve dozed off."   
  
"You all right?" Tom was fighting a grin, she could hear it in his voice.  
  
"Yeah." Kris rubbed the back of her head tenderly, closing her eyes against the stars swimming in her vision. "I think so. Just gimme a sec."  
  
He sat down next to her on the bench while a tall redhead hovered just off to his side. "Take your time. Evening visiting hours don’t start for a bit yet, and we’ve got to get you sorted anyway."  
  
It was quickly decided that she’d stay with Tom since she hadn’t thought to make any other arrangements in her haste to get to London. He wouldn’t hear of her taking a room at hotel near the hospital; although she thought she heard him mutter something about Rob killing him if he left her alone. He’d just recently taken over his grandmother’s flat in the Mayfair section of London so he had room to spare. Tom’s younger brother Arthur was kind enough to tag along with him to see to her bags once her living arrangements had been decided.  
  
"How’s his dad?" Kris asked him once they were settled in the back of taxi, silently praying for a bit of good news.  
  
Tom leaned back against the seat and slipped his dark sunglasses on. "A little better, but still not out of the woods."  
  
She nods, thankful that he’s doing at least a little better. "And Rob?"  
  
"He’s hanging by a thread." Tom let his head drop back against seat as he closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand. "I’ve never seen him quite so…"  
  
The stress was evident in his voice, and it made her anxious to get to Rob, to see for herself his state of mind. She had no idea what she intended to do, or if she’d make a difference, but just knowing she was there if he needed her settled any uneasiness about the past 24-hours of her life.   
  
Kris looked out the window at the old, yet bustling city passing by not really paying attention to where they were heading and wondering just how much longer it’d be before they reached their destination. Any tiredness she’d felt earlier after her long-haul flight instantly dissipated the moment the taxi pulled to a stop in front of the visitors’ entrance to King’s College Hospital. Tom watched her with what could only be termed as disapproval as she practically ran to the cardiac ward.  
  
He stopped her with a hand on her arm just before the sliding doors at the entrance of the ward. "I don’t know why you’re here, nor do I care, but whatever the reason, he can’t handle it. Not right now." The warning in Tom’s voice was evident.  
  
"I’m just here for him," she said in self-defense, raising her hands in surrender. The attack wasn’t wholly unexpected, just the timing of it took her by surprise.   
  
He regarded her with narrowed eyes. "That remains to be seen."  
  
She took a deep breath, knowing she deserved that, especially after the last year. Rob had made no secret of his feelings for her, much to Kris’ embarrassment and Mike’s irritation. No matter how hard she tried to keep things on the friends level, Rob always tried to push the boundaries and there were times those boundaries were definitely blurred. Blurred but never ever crossed. After awhile it seemed like it’d become a game, seeing how far Rob could push her boyfriend towards the brink of insanity and Mike would see how much of an ass he could be to everyone. It all came to ugly head while in Rome, that was when they broke up for the first time and Rob suddenly pulled back.  
  
And now she was in London, doing exactly what she wasn’t sure.  
  
Her heart was suddenly in her throat. She was about to see Rob for the first time in nearly a month. She’d traveled over 5,000 miles by herself, and what if he didn’t want to see her? It wasn’t like they’d parted on the best of terms.  
  
"Knock, knock," Tom said softly, announcing their arrival. He stood in the doorway of the dimly lit room, effectively blocking her from view.  
  
"Tom," she heard Rob say quietly in answer, her stomach fluttering at the sound of his voice. She hadn’t realized just how much she missed him until that moment. "Didn’t expect you back today."  
  
"Yeah, I just couldn’t stay away, and I’m not alone."  
  
"Didn’t bring Nettie, did you?" Rob stepped out into the harshly lit corridor, looking thinner than she remembered and very haggard. He pulled the door to behind him. "I’m not leaving, no matter what she says."  
  
"No," Tom said, a smile ghosting at the corners of his mouth. "She’s at work. I brought in fresh reinforcements."  
  
Whoever Rob expected to see when Tom stepped aside, it definitely wasn’t her. Kris watched as the shock of recognition registered on his bearded face and his mouth gaped open like a dying fish.  
  
"Hi," she said, feeling rather sheepish, and unable to keep her eyes from drinking in the sight of him. His hair was so short. She knew he’d lopped it off in a fit of defiance. Nikki had warned her it was just this side of a buzz cut, but knowing it and seeing it were two completely different things.  
  
"Kristen?" he croaked once he found his voice. Rob looked at her as if she were an apparition, disbelief evident in his gray-green eyes. He didn’t put up a fight when she pulled him into her arms, burying his face in her loose hair and crushing her petite frame against him, seeking the comfort she was offering. "You’re really here."  
  
"Yeah," she whispered softly, kissing his cheek; his overgrown scruff rough against her skin.  
  
"You smell like LA."  
  
"I do?" She didn’t have the heart to tell him it was probably chlorine from the pool combined with an ungodly number of hours since she last had a shower along with a half a pack of Marlboros.  
  
"Yes," he muttered, nuzzling deeper against her neck as she rubbed his back soothingly, "just like sunshine and the beach."  
  
"You’re silly." She laughed softly, marveling at how being in his arms felt so right despite the unfortunate circumstances that brought them together again after so long.  
  
Kris didn’t know how long they stood in the hospital corridor clinging to one another before his sister interrupted them. "Hey, Lizzie," she said softly.  
  
His youngest sister gave her wane smile. "Hello, Kristen. I’m glad you could make it. Now maybe you can do something with him. He hasn’t been home in days." She ruffled Rob’s messy hair as she slipped past them and disappeared around the corner.  
  
She could tell he was reluctant to release her from his arms, almost as if he was afraid she’d disappear the second he let go. His hand immediately sought hers so he could lace their fingers together. He pulled her hand up to brush a tender kiss against her knuckles, causing her stomach to flutter. She’d forgotten how lethal he could be to the unsuspecting female populace when he put his mind to it. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Tom called to tell me about your father."  
  
"And you just hopped on a plane?"  
  
"Without hesitation," Kris said with a small nod.  
  
His brow furrowed as he considered her answer. "Why?"  
  
"Because that is what friends do for each other." Kris squeezed his hand lightly to let him know she just wasn’t saying the words. She had meant every word with all of her heart.  
  
"Oh," was all he could manage.  
  
Kristen felt a slight pang of fear stab in her chest as she watched a variety of emotions play across his handsome features. He didn’t want her there and was trying to find a way to politely tell her to go home. She could see it in his eyes. Why hadn’t she just picked up the phone? "I didn’t mean to intrude. I can go," she mumbled, trying to pull away from him.  
  
"No," he said fiercely, his eyes suddenly bright as he refused to let go of her hand. "No, I want you here with me."  
  
She couldn’t help the smile that lit up her face. "All right."  
  
"I can’t believe you’re really here." Rob leaned down to kiss her cheek, but missed when she turned her head to smile at him, causing his lips to brush against the corner of her mouth.  
There was nothing she could’ve done to steel herself against the small ripple of lust that washed through her the moment he touched her. Now was not the time, nor the place for such thoughts she reminded herself.  
  
"How’s your dad?" she asked, glancing toward the glass enclosed room in the Cardiac Intensive Care Ward. His mother and oldest sister were still there sitting by the bed.  
  
Rob blew out a heavy sigh and scrubbed his hand over his face. "Dad’s awake. So that’s something."  
  
She squeezed his hand and chewed her bottom lip, knowing that nothing she could say would make any of this better. Kris could only imagine what he was going through, and she didn’t want to make things worse by saying something stupid. She had a terrible habit of that.  
  
"Tommy, love, why don’t you take Robbie to get something to eat. I believe it’s near tea time," his mother said softly moments before she appeared behind her son in the doorway. "He needs to eat something. Vic and I will stay here. Oh…” Kris could see the shock of recognition in her eyes.  
  
“Mum, look who Tommy brought with him,” Rob said, smiling. He never let go of her hand. “Kristen.”  
  
“I see that.” The smile his mother was trying to hide was unmistakable. “Richard will be most pleased to know you’re here, Kristen. He’s very fond of you.”  
  
She couldn’t be sure, but she could’ve sworn she heard Rob mutter something along the lines of his father being too fond of her. It made her smile. “Maybe I can see him when he’s feeling up to visitors?”  
  
“He’d like that very much, dear.”  
  
“Too much,” Rob muttered.  
  
Tom interjected, clasping Rob on the shoulder. “Enough with the reunion, let’s see about getting some food in you, mate, before you waste way and your mum blames me for it.”  
Kris wasn’t happy until Rob was sitting at one of the round tables in the hospital canteen with a plate full of food in front of him. She could feel Tom's eyes on her as she went about fussing over Rob like he was a small, but she didn’t care. She was worried about him. He looked like he was about to expire on the spot.  
  
"When was the last time you ate something?" she asked, watching him shove the beef and onion pie around on his plate with his fork.  
  
"Dunno, yesterday maybe." He sounded so tired now that that the excitement of her arrival had worn off.  
  
"Then you need to eat."   
  
She reached across the table to put her hand on top his, hyperaware of just how large his hand was in comparison to hers, and wondering what it’d be like to hold hands with him, their fingers lacing together comfortably, naturally. His skin was soft and warm. And his fingers were the longest fingers she’d ever seen in her life. Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered how Mike’s hands had always been a bit clammy.   
  
Rob had her hand in his before she even realized what had just happened, his thumb tenderly stroking the soft skin of her fingers. The rings she’d always worn, all gifts from her boyfriend, were tucked away in the side compartment of her purse. She planned to return them at the first available opportunity.  
  
"Please, for me," she implored softly, looking up to his meet his dark eyes as he watched her with an unreadable look on his face. The intensity behind his gaze made her stomach do flip-flops.   
  
He stabbed his fork into the savory pastry as soon as she released his hand. "You know what I wished I had instead? A 3x3 and some extra crispy chips."  
  
"Yeah," Tommy chimed in, "from that burger place, right? The one in LA you took me to all the time." Rob nodded at his best mate, one corner of his mouth quirking upwards.  
  
"I had every intention of bringing you a burger and fries, but then Cam reminded me it probably wouldn’t survive the 15 hour trip."  
  
"It’s the thought that counts right?" Rob said with a wry smile.  
  
"So I totally owe you a combo or ten the next time we’re in LA together."   
  
He picked at the food on this plate a bit more, keeping his head bowed so she couldn’t see his eyes. "I will definitely take you up on that."  
  
"So will you eat something for me now, please?"   
  
"Yeah, I guess," he said with an exasperated sigh. The smile playing at the corners of his mouth told her he just wanted to be a pain in the ass.  
  
Kris did her best to ignore the watchful gaze of Tom as she fussed over Rob as he worked on his dinner. She was determined he was going to eat at least half of his meal before she’d allow him up from the table, and she didn’t care how long that took either. Some color had already returned to his cheeks.  
  
"You have to feel a little bit better now you’ve eaten something." She leaned in closer to Rob, giving into the magnetic attraction that she’d fought since the first time they’d been in the same room together. It felt good, right, natural or all of the things that’d been missing in her life.  
  
"Yeah, I do." He was giving her the same unreadable look from earlier that turned into a crooked smile when she was unable to stifle her yawn. "You’re exhausted."  
  
Last year she would have snapped at him for such a simple observation, lest anyone think they were anything but co-stars. Not that it had done any good because everyone not in the know thought they were seeing each other on the sly, her boyfriend included. Things were different now.  
  
"Maybe a little." Another wide yawn forced her to cover her mouth with her hand.  
  
"Where are you staying tonight?"  
  
"Stewie's going to be staying with me," Tom spoke up before she could answer, shoving back from the table and gathering up his tea cup and Rob’s tray. She cringed a bit at being called Stewie because she didn’t think he was bestowing her with a cute nickname.  
  
Rob watched her carefully, a questioning look furrowing his brow. "Kris, is this true?"  
  
"Yeah, she didn't have time to get a hotel and it's just easier, that way I can bring her around to hospital when she wants to see you. I have a few spare rooms nowadays anyway."  
  
"Kris?"  
  
"Tom was kind enough to offer me a place to stay, yes," she answered with what she hoped was a reassuring smile.  
  
"Where’s Oreg- I mean Michael?" Rob asked, his eyes darting around the canteen like her ex-boyfriend was lurking in the shadows ready to pounce.  
  
"Home," she mumbled, deciding it wasn’t worth it to get her feathers ruffled over the stupid nickname everyone insisted on calling Mike behind her back.   
  
"Oh," was all that Rob said. Kris could read the shock on his face easily enough even though he’d tried to hide it. He should’ve known by now she could read him like an open book.  
  
She was glad he didn’t query her any further because she wasn’t ready to talk about what’d happened, at least not before she’d had time to process it. Although it was just a matter of time because Rob knew better than anyone that Michael rarely let her out his sight, especially if he knew she was going to be anywhere remotely near her co-star.  
  
Tom stood up, effectively cutting off any line of questioning Rob might have been considering. "Maybe I should get her home before she passes out."  
  
"Yeah," she agreed quietly, closing her eyes and leaning a little into Rob’s hand when he brushed his fingers along her cheek. "I could sleep."  
  
"You coming over tonight?"  
  
"Probably not. I’m not quite ready to leave Dad yet."  
  
She wanted to tell him he needed to go home, get some sleep, and come back in the morning, but she didn’t have the heart after seeing the determination in his eyes. He was going to see his father through this, even if it meant doing himself harm in the process. If it were her father in the ICU, she wouldn’t have wanted to leave his side either.  
  
"Will you at least try to get some sleep?" Kris asked, reaching over to take Rob’s hand again, squeezing it lightly. "I worry about you."  
  
He gave her his best half-smile. "I’ll try since you asked so nicely."  
  
"S’all I ask." The urge to push up on her tip toes and kiss Rob was almost overwhelming, and she had to remind herself that now was not the time nor was the hospital the place for that, besides Tom was right there scrutinizing every word, every glance, every touch that passed between them.  
  
Tom walked just ahead of them on the way back to Richard’s room to give them a bit of privacy. They walked hand in hand, exchanging no words because there was no need. Just being together was enough for now, besides she wouldn’t have known what to say or where to even start.  
It was so easy, being with Rob’s mother and sisters. They welcomed her with hugs and thanks for making the trip over, letting her know how much it meant to them that she would come all that way just to be there for Rob. Kristen didn’t even want to know what the look was in Clare’s eyes every time she caught his mother staring at her and Rob. Even his father seemed happy to see her when he woke up from his nap. The evening nurse made her rounds not too much later, sending everyone not family packing.   
  
Tom ran out into the dark and cold to hail a taxi for them while Rob stayed just inside the hospital doors with her to wait. A gust of damp wind blew through the open automatic doors when another group left, causing Kris to shiver and pull her black Nike jacket more tightly around her.  
  
"Is that the only coat you have with you?" Rob asked, pulling her into his arms.   
  
Her arms went around his waist immediately, enjoying the feel of being wrapped up with him a little more than was probably proper. "Yeah, it’s the one Cam grabbed for me."  
  
"We might have to see about something warmer," he spoke into her hair where his face was buried. "That is if you’re going to stay awhile." He stiffened a little, almost like he was preparing for her to attack him.  
  
She rubbed soothing circles on his lower back, just relishing being able to be this close to him guilt free. "I’ll stay as long as you need me."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Did Cam come with you?"  
  
"He wanted too, but he couldn’t get out of work."  
  
"You came all this way by yourself then?"  
  
"Yes," she said with a little nod to hide the inward cringe, already knowing that’d go over like a ton of bricks. What was it with all the men in her life thinking she was incapable of taking care of herself?  
  
"What’s going on, Kristen?" That same look, the one she couldn’t figure out what it meant, was on his face again when he pulled back to find her eyes.   
  
"Nothing’s going on," she promised softly, averting her eyes so he wouldn’t see the truth in them.   
  
Rob tipped her chin up so he could examine her face closely, but it felt like he was peering into her soul instead. She hated how that look made her feel laid bare. "Why don’t I believe you?"  
  
"We’ll talk about it later."  
  
"So there is something?"  
  
"Now is not the time, Rob." Kristen looked up at him begging silently for his understanding. "Please."  
  
"Sorry to interrupt." Tom’s curt tone caused the both of them to jump like they’d just been caught red-handed with their grubby little hands in the cookie jar. "I’ve got a taxi waiting out front."  
  
It was as if the world around them ceased to exist when Rob whispered good night to her, and the way his lips brushed against her ear caused her body to thrum in very pleasant ways. She could’ve spent forever standing there in his arms examining all the new and different feelings he somehow managed to evoke in her, but a not-so-subtle throat being cleared brought reality crashing back.   
  
She crawled in the backseat of the black London taxi as Tom and Rob lingered in the doorway speaking a few moments longer before parting with a quick hug. All she wanted to do was go back to Tom’s flat, take a hot shower to thaw her bones out, and crawl into a soft bed and sleep forever.   
  
"So what’re you doing here, Kristen?" Tom asked as soon as the car door slammed shut jerking her awake, all pretenses of good nature vanishing like a puff of smoke in a stiff breeze.  
She was surprised he’d been able to hold out as long as he had. It’d been obvious he’d been itching to have this conversation with her since he collected her from the airport. With a heavy sigh, she leaned her head against the cold glass of the window and closed her eyes, steeling herself against what she was sure was going to be an onslaught. Did she have a target on her back today or something?   
  
"Doing what any good friend would do," she answered simply.  
  
"That shite might work on him, but it doesn’t work on me. Now tell me what you’re really doing here."  
  
"You called me. What was I supposed to do?"  
  
"Ring him like I asked," he hissed.  
  
Despite her exhaustion, anger was starting to simmer dangerously in her chest. She leveled her infamous bitch glare of death at her dark-haired seatmate, daring him to question her motives. "How could I not come after what you told me about Rob’s state of mind?"   
  
"Will your boyfriend be joining you soon? Because Rob could do with being glared at from afar by a passive-aggressive little nancy."   
  
"No," she practically growled, "Mike will not be coming over."  
  
Tom looked surprised; whether it was from her answer or the venom in her voice she couldn’t be sure. He recovered quickly though, regarding her coolly, one dark eyebrow quirked. "Cut the cords, did you?"  
  
She was not going to put up with his bullshit. "Take me to the nearest hotel."  
  
"No can do."  
  
"Take me to the nearest hotel, please," she told the cabbie who’d been eying their escalating argument in the rearview mirror. "A nice one."  
  
"Continue on to Green Street," Tom cut in. "Stop being so damn dramatic, Stewie. I promised Rob I’d take good care of you and I intend on doing just that."  
  
"I don’t need to be taken care of thank you very much."  
  
"A promise is a promise."  
  
"Don’t call me Stewie," she huffed.  
  
He grinned widely. "Stewie."  
  
She did the only thing she could while trapped in the back of a taxi in the middle of London: she crossed her arms and pouted at the indignity of being handled. "Jackass," she muttered, mostly to herself. She earned a snort from him.  
  
Tense silence reigned over the remainder of the ride back to Tom’s flat, for which she was thankful. She was not mentally prepared for the pissing contest that seemed to be developing between her and Rob’s best mate. That was the last thing Rob needed right now.  
  
The flat on Green Street was gorgeous walk-up and huge, much nicer than anything she expected after hearing harrowing tales of tiny hole-in-the-wall Soho flats with no bathtub and lawn chairs for furniture. Tom showed her around the ground floor, pointing out the kitchen and telling her she’s welcome to anything she can find there, but there wasn’t much to be had because he usually just called for takeaway if he ate at home. He showed her a folder full of menus in a drawer near the phone stating she was responsible for feeding herself.  
  
"You’ll be in here." He opened the door to the large bedroom situated at the front of the house overlooking the quiet residential street. Kris followed behind him, lugging her suitcase and carryon with her up the stairs after he didn’t offer do it for her. "The bath is through that door. There’re fresh towels in the cupboard there. There’s also a door to the front balcony."  
  
She was somewhat surprised he hadn’t tried to stuff her in the tiny bedroom on the ground floor she’d seen on her whirlwind tour. Maybe there was hope for them as friends after all. Start anew in the morning after she’d gotten some rest - apologize to Tom for imposing without giving him a heads up, thank him for his hospitality, and the like. They could make this work - this friends thing - they already had one big thing in common: Rob.  
  
"Thank you," Kris said softly when it was obvious Tom had nothing else to say about her accommodations. He just stood there staring at her from the doorway, like he was trying to cipher a particularly difficult calculus equation. She gave him a tentative smile.  
  
He did not return the gesture. "Make no mistake, Stewie, I am doing this for Rob, not you."  
  
"I understand."   
  
"I don’t think you do. He’s my best mate. I love him like a brother." He pushed off the door jamb. "I’d do anything for him."  
  
"I know," Kris said, not knowing what else to say.  
  
"And that includes not letting you destroy him anymore than you already have." He pulled the door firmly shut behind him after he’d said his piece.  
  
"You’re not the only one who loves him, Tom," she whispered to the empty room, sinking down on the big bed and blinking back tears.


	3. Chapter 3

  
The day after her unexpected arrival in London was spent trying to get her internal clock reset. The eight hour time difference was a right bitch, that and completely losing a day during her travels. It was one thing when she was completely prepared for, but now it just felt like she’d been run over by a Mack truck.  
  
Tom had been indifferent at best when she’d finally managed to drag herself out of bed late in the morning after spending most of the night tossing and turning. He’d been on the phone, but hung up the second he noticed her presence in the room. Yeah, that had made her feel like the pink elephant in the corner no one wanted to talk about.  
  
“I got some scones from the bakery this morning.” He pointed to a white paper bag on the counter. “I didn’t know what you liked so I got a couple kinds. Water’s hot for tea.”  
  
“Thank you.” Kristen hunted up a cup when he didn’t make a move to show her where things were located and set about trying to figure out the tea ball and loose black tea. Making a drink shouldn’t be that fucking complicated, and after spilling loose tea all over the counter, she wasn’t about to ask him if she was supposed to nuke the raisin studded scone.   
  
He read the morning paper while she fumbled about the kitchen fixing her breakfast. “Afternoon visiting hours start at half past the hour.”  
  
“Okay.” Kris sat at the small table in the middle of the surprisingly large kitchen stirring more sugar than was probably healthy into her tea while Tom looked on, completely disgusted.  
  
“You’re going to drink that?”  
  
“Maybe.”   
  
“It’ll make you sick.”  
  
“You think?” She swirled the cup around, watching loose tea leaves float near the surface of the murky mess in her cup. “I can always try to read the leaves, see the future.”   
  
He didn’t look amused when she tried to give him an impish grin. “Don’t tell me you believe in that bollocks.”  
  
“God, who pissed in your Wheaties this morning?” Kris muttered under her breath.  
  
“Do you want me to answer that?” he asked brusquely.  
  
She really hoped it was the white cat she’d seen lurking around earlier. “I suppose not.”  
  
“That’s what I thought.”  
  
Who would’ve ever thought someone so pretty could be such a complete and utter jackass. Kristen had to keep reminding herself that Tom was Rob’s friend and she had to be nice, for now anyway. Although that little bit of knowledge did not keep her from entertaining various ways she could kill him. The current frontrunner was slathering him in honey and staking him out under the hot sun and letting nature take care of its own.  
  
She made short work of breakfast then getting ready for the day after Tom threatened to leave her behind if she wasn’t ready to go when he was, and it made her long to see his sweet little red-headed brother turn up. At least he didn’t seem to resent her presence.   
  
“You made it,” Rob’s voice was soft, his whole face lighting up as he brushed past his friend to get to her. He cupped her face between his large hands, his thumbs tenderly tracing the dark circles beneath her eyes. “I figured you’d be too exhausted to come today.”  
  
Her eyes drifted closed, relishing the soothing feel of his touch. “I told you I’d be here.”  
  
“You didn’t have to,” he leaned down to press a soft kiss to her forehead, “but thank you.”  
  
It was all she could do not to lift herself up on her tip-toes and kiss him, but she was mindful of the audience watching them. “I want to be here for you,” she said honestly.  
  
“Did you sleep well?” Concern was evident in his blue-gray eyes as he released her only after it had become obvious his sister, mother and best mate were trying to act like they weren’t watching them.  
  
“Once I got to sleep,” she answered with a little shrug.  
  
Rob shot a glance at Tom who was being distracted by Lizzie trying to show him something in a magazine. “He didn’t give you any trouble, did he?”  
  
“Nope. Just overly tired.” Not wanting to make a mountain out of a mole hill, Kris reached up to cup his scruffy jaw with her small hand to get his attention. “What about you? Did you get any rest like you promised me?”  
  
He glanced down, trying to hide his eyes from her piercing gaze. “I caught a few hours.”  
  
“Robert Thomas?” she demanded.  
  
“Honest.” He flicked his eyes up to meet hers. “You can ask Mum.”  
  
Unable to resist any longer, her fingers moved tenderly over his coarse beard. “I believe you.”  
  
“Good.”  
  
“I brought scones.” Tom’s voice caused them both to jump apart like guilty teenager caught snogging in a cupboard by the headmaster. She could just feel his eyes boring into the back of her head and she tried not to visibly grind her teeth at his ill-timed interruption. “Do you want to walk with me to get some tea, Patty?”  
  
Lizzie stood up to grab her coat from the back of her chair, swinging it on before leaning down to kiss her mother on the cheek. “I’ll walk out with you. I need to get going if I’m going to make my meeting in Chelsea.”  
  
“Would you like tea?” Rob asked, snapping her mind back to the hospital room; his dark brows furrowing at her obvious distraction. “You all right?”   
  
“Yeah,” Kris nodded distractedly. “Just tired, s’all.”  
  
“Kristen, love, come, sit.” Clare patted the empty recliner next to her. “Let the boys go be boys for a few minutes.”   
  
She looked immediately to the handsome boy holding her hand to make sure he was all right with that. He gave her a slight nod, leaving it up to her to make that decision. It was an easy one too, less time spent with Tom Sturridge the better. She’d much rather take her chances with the parental units.  
  
“Stop fighting it,” Clare said, looking up from her knitting with a look of concern. Kristen was pretty she looked like loon staring at the door long after Rob had left. “I’m sure you’re completely knackered after such a long trip. Sleep.”  
  
It didn’t take much coaxing after that to get Kristen to flop down in the chair and feel instantly relaxed when Rob’s mother brushed her hair back from her face, fussing over her in a way only a loving mother could. And she appreciated every second of it too, having not spent nearly enough time with her own mother over the course of the past year.  
  
“I’m fine, really,” she slurred a bit. It was getting increasingly harder to keep her eyes open.  
  
“Sure you are, love.” Clare turned her attention to picking an almost-knot knot out of the soft plum colored yarn before resuming her knitting, the steady rhythmic clicking of the bamboo needles was far more soothing a sound than it had any right to be.  
  
When Kris opened her bleary eyes, she wasn’t quite sure of her surroundings. She was stretched out in a faux leather recliner with a soft cotton blanket draped over her, legs and back stiff from the awkward position. The last thing she remembered being aware of was the low murmur of voices and thinking she’d heard her name mentioned several times.  
  
She gave a mighty stretch, yawning as she tried to restore feeling to her limbs.  
  
Rob’s mother smiled, the soft clicking never letting up as she asked, “Did you get some sleep, love?”  
  
“I did,” she croaked, eyes darting around the room looking unmistakable messy hair.   
  
“He’s gone outside to smoke and make a few phone calls,” Clare said softly, the glee in her voice was unmistakable. “He thought you’d sleep a bit more.”  
  
“Oh,” she muttered, clearly disappointed he wasn’t there.  
  
“Such a pretty face when you’re not hiding it,” Clare said with a smile, setting her knitting in her lap and reaching over to tuck a stray lock of dark reddish hair behind Kris’ ear. “I can see why my Robbie loves you so. You’ve got such a caring and loving soul.”  
  
The blush was near instant as her embarrassment got the best of her. It was silly of her to think that she was the only person who’d noticed Rob’s mooning. Hell, Tommy was more than well aware of it, but he’d spent all of last summer and fall keeping his best mate from swimming in the gutters of LA. But, oh God, his mother of all people had noticed too!  
  
“Thank you,” Kris managed to mumble, ducking her head, and not knowing what else to say. There was no telling what Rob had shared with his mother about them, not that there was a them, but that was beside the point.  
  
“No, love, thank you.” Clare pressed a kiss to the top her bowed head. “Thank you for coming halfway around the world to save my son.”  
  
Silence.  
  
“We were all starting to get so worried about him. Lizzie, Vic. He wasn’t eating, barely sleeping.” Clare fell silent a moment, almost as if she was pondering how much she should say on the matter. “The lads, Tommy especially, didn’t know what to do either.” She reached down to take her hand, squeezing gently. “Then you turned up.”  
  
Kristen had gotten the sense things were bad, or else Tom wouldn’t have called in what she had figured was an act of desperation. It’s what prompted her to drop everything and catch the first flight she could manage. Something deep down told her Rob needed her. “I’d do anything for him,” she finally said softly, looking up to see Clare smiling warmly at her.  
  
Another gentle hand through her hair; the motherly tone gone, they were speaking woman to woman now. “I know, Kristen, and I trust you with my son.”  
  
Trust her with him? Her heart began to pound as she stared back at his sweet mother with wide green eyes as panic began to set in. What on earth was she going to do with a full grown man? She’d never been responsible for another living thing in her entire life, well, except her cat and that wasn’t working out so well seeing as her mother was taking care of Jella currently. Or she hoped so anyway. Oh God, her mother! She must be freaking out. What if her mother didn’t find the note she left for her? She needed to call her. Ohgodohgodohgod.  
  
“Clary, do something. She’s startin’ to turn blue.” Kristen turned slowly to look at Richard propped up in the bed, hearing his words, but not understanding what he was saying. “Robbie’d be rather put out if we killed his girlfriend.”  
  
“I’m- I’m- I’m not,” the words came out as a rushed stutter, “his girlfriend. We’re just friends. Honestly!”  
  
His father just smiled that same charming smile Rob had that could make her panties wet in an instant. “Of course, button,” he chuckled, “but someone should tell Robbie that.”  
  
“Dickie, be nice!” Clare patted her hand gently, while tsking her husband. “Don’t listen to him, Kristen. He’s just trying to get you to take the mickey. Friend or girlfriend, we’re just glad you’re here.”  
  
“I’m glad to be here too.” _I think._   
  
They settled into a quiet afternoon with Richard feeling well enough to join in a few rounds of Hearts before another nap once the boys returned. She was promptly accused of cheating and Rob’s father was accused of flirting too much. Tom left mid-afternoon to go run some errands with the promise to return later to collect her and Rob for dinner, and the three Pattinsons and Kristen settled into what would become a quiet routine as her days in London blended into one another.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
Kristen’s eyes popped open when felt the bed sag a bit behind her with the weight of another person. The room was pitch-black so she had no idea of the time, the sounds of fireworks and late night revelers had long since quieted. Tom had abandoned her nearly as soon as they returned home to spend the evening with friends at a pub somewhere. Rob had opted to remain at the hospital despite her pleas that he get some real rest. He refused to allow her to even entertain the idea of staying with him.  
  
So she spent her New Year’s Eve having beef lo mein from Lee Ho Fook's before soaking in a bubble bath and retiring early. She must’ve been more tired than she thought…  
  
“Kris?” Rob breathed softly, his warm breath caused the skin on the back of her neck to tingle. He aligned his long body along the contours of her petite frame, spooning up behind her, with only the blue and cream floral bedspread separating them. His arm wrapped around her tiny waist and pulled her flush against him, nuzzling his nose in her hair and inhaling deeply.  
  
“Mmm?” She went with a non-committal sound because she didn’t think she could find her voice with him so dangerously close. They’d spent the past several days locked in this weird intricate dance with each other that left her confused as fuck most of the time. The dark looks Tom gave her at every opportunity wasn’t helping matters and she didn’t even want to think about the awkward meeting with another one of Rob’s friends, some guy with swoopy hair named Bobby. Kristen didn't think she'd made a very good impression.  
  
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, pressing a tender kiss to her bare shoulder after nosing the narrow strap of her tank-top out of the way. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”  
  
Her breath hitched at the feel of his rough whiskers and warm lips against her soft skin.  
"S’okay. I thought you were gonna stay at the hospital tonight."  
  
"I changed my mind. Thought it might be nice to sleep in my bed. I hope that's all right…"  
  
His bed? Now she was completely boggled. Tom never told her this was Rob's room and she hadn't notice any evidence to make her think it was his. Although, she hadn't rummaged through the drawers or anything, opting to live out of her suitcase in case she was thrown out with the yesterday's garbage.  
  
"No, no," she whispered quickly, squeezing his arms around her. "It's all right, more than all right."  
  
The room was filled with the sound of their soft breathing and her pounding heart for what seemed like an eternity. Kristen was afraid to make a sound lest she ruin whatever was happening between them. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but it certainly felt magical to her and she didn’t want to break the spell.  
  
“Thank you,” he said after awhile.  
  
“For what?” She hugged his arm around her waist, drawing her fingers over his large hands, trying to memorize their shape in case she never got this opportunity again.  
  
“For coming here to be with me,” Rob said haltingly; his arms tightening around her. “For standing by me. For everything. I don’t know what I would have done without you,” a long pause as he measures his words, “gone completely around the bend probably.”  
  
She wiggled around until she could turn over to face him in the dark, settling comfortably against him. It felt so safe and warm in his arms, like she was finally where she belonged.  
  
“You don’t have to thank me.” Kristen laid her hand on his chest, swallowing down the disappointment at finding him still fully dressed.  
  
“No, I feel like I do. I’ve caused you a lot of trouble and pain this past year, yet here you are.”  
  
“Shhh.” Kristen pressed her fingers lightly against his lips. “Let’s not talk about that right now. It’s not important.”  
  
“All right.”  
  
It took all of her will power in that moment not to give in and just kiss him, an honest to God kiss, none of this peck on the cheek or brush of the lips against her forehead bullshit of the past few days. She’d been dying to since the moment he’d stepped into that hospital corridor and his eyes lit up at the sight of her. She wanted to tell him she loved him too. There was nothing stopping her, not really. Mike had released her from any obligation when she’d made her decision to run to Rob’s side. Granted she’d not taken any of his calls nor had she read a single one of his 83 text messages over the past four days.  
  
“How’s your father?” Kristen asked, opting for the safest line of questioning.  
She felt his grin beneath her fingers. “Much better. His doctor says he should be able to go home by the end of the week.”  
  
“I’m so glad!”  
  
“Me too,” he replied, voice nearly a whisper. “It looked bad there for a while.”  
  
“I know. When Tom called I was so worried. I didn’t know what to do so I just got on a plane.”  
Rob squeezed his arms around her waist. “I’m ever glad you did. You’ve made this all of this a little more bearable.”  
  
“That’s what friends are for.”  
  
“Is that all we are? Friends?”  
  
She closed her eyes against the onslaught of emotions that question stirred up. “Rob.”  
  
“Kris,” he said silkily.   
  
The bastard was toying with her emotions, and that was quickly dissolving her dreamlike state back into cold hard reality. “Don’t do this right now, please.”  
  
“Do what?”  
  
“This,” she grumbled, her frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “What you always do when you catch me alone.”  
  
“I’m sorry.” She felt his lips brush against the apple of her cheek before he moved to get out of her bed.  
  
“Where are you going?” she demanded a more little harshly than she intended, her fingers latching onto the worn flannel of his shirt to keep him from leaving.  
  
“Just to take a shower,” he answered, chuckling.  
  
“What time is it?”  
  
“A little after two.” Rob leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Happy New Year's.”  
  
“Oh,” she was surprised, looking up at him in the shadowy dark. “I thought it was much earlier.”  
  
“Nope.”  
  
“Happy New Year's, Rob.”  
  
He stood to move away, her fingers still gripping his shirt. “Kris, you can let go, I’m going to come back.”  
  
“Sorry,” she mumbled, letting go immediately. She’d never been so thankful for the cover of darkness to hide her blush.  
  
He chuckled. “Don’t be. Try to go back to sleep.”  
  
Rob padded to the en suite bathroom, stopping to take off his heavy boots somewhere along the way. She really hoped that she didn’t get up in the morning and break her neck tripping over one of them.   
  
The water started, and her mind instantly focused on the fact that he’d left the door ajar. Kristen could hear him moving around, warming the water as he stripped off his clothes and put them in the hamper (who would have thought he even knew what one was, let alone how to use it) before stepping in the big oval shaped tub set against the far wall and turning the shower on. She closed her eyes and tried to fight the urge to join him only to be rewarded with flashes of images of a very wet and naked Rob.   
  
She must have eventually dozed off while he puttered about in the room because the next thing she knew he was gathering her in his arms again. Her body instinctively adjusting to his presence as she settled against him, and this time he was under the blue and cream bedspread. She rested her head on his bare chest just above the steady beat of his heart, while her naked leg tangled with his flannel covered ones. He pressed a light kiss to the top of her head, and she smiled when she noted he hadn’t bothered to shave.  
  
“This is nice,” she murmured, snuggling against his side while her eyes drifted shut again.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“I could get used to this.”  
  
“You could?”  
  
“Uh huh.”  
  
His heartbeat sped up a little, causing her to smile. She liked having that effect on him, probably more than she should. “So could I,” he barely whispered.  
  
They fell into a comfortable silence once more, enjoying finally being able to be together without someone around watching them. Rob lazily ran his fingers along the curve of her hip, lingering longer than necessary on the little patch of bare skin between the bottom of her soft cotton cami top and the edge of her underwear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kristen’s dinner of beef lo mein from Lee Ho Fook’s is a nod to Warren Zevon’s fabulous song “Werewolves of London”. Songs for this chapter include “Haunted” by The Pogues; “Crash Into Me” by Dave Matthews Band; and “Breakdown” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: The title and summary are taken from the song _The Hardest Walk_ by The Jesus and Mary Chain.


End file.
